Monday, May 3, 2010

PASCAL’S PROGRESS: One name that didn’t appear much on announcer’s lips and on my mind in the Rowdies’ opening two games was that of winger Pascal Millien. That changed on Saturday night as the former University of Tampa standout was far more involved, and far more dangerous to the point where he was unlucky not to notch his first goal for the club.
Millien seemed more aggressive in seeking out the ball in the first half. He almost gave the Rowdies the opening goal of the game when his shot from just outside the penalty area was brilliantly turned away by Miami goalkeeper Caleb Patterson.
Patterson was on hand again when Millien’s 20-yard shot late in the second half came close to giving the Rowdies the lead, although I wonder if the offside call against Aaron King, who tried to get his head to the ball to redirect it late, would have still been called denying the goal. Either way, it was a far brighter performance for Millien who now appears to be finding his feet at this higher level of soccer